Your landscape is UGLY! It needs some major help, but it is the middle of Winter in North Dakota. What could you possibly do right now with your landscape? There are a few items on the North Dakota Winter Landscape Checklist that you should be doing now, to make sure that you are able to get the most out of your Spring.

#5 - Pest Control - Missing this item could end up with you having a dead tree in your yard come Spring. Check for rabbit and rodent activity in your yard. Rabbits and voles are common critters in North Dakota, and while it is great to have a little wildlife enjoying the habitat in your yard, you don't need to set the buffet table for them. If you see signs of the critters, check around the base of your trees for bark or skin that has been chewed off. If you see damage, then you already have a problem. You can protect your trees with plastic tree guards or tree wrap. If the damage is already severe, then you may need to make some repairs before you add protection. If the bark or skin has been removed in a complete circle anywhere along the trunk, then those critters have completely severed the trees lifeline. It may be possible to repair with bridge graphting, or application of a tree wound dressing product.

If you are still unsure of the damage done, or what to do about it get expert help here:  Tree Rows 4 U

#4 - Trim Your Trees - Winter is the ideal time to trim most fruit trees and deciduous trees (leafy shade trees or flowering ornamental trees). These trees are dormant in the winter, and that helps to protect them from the shock of limbs being trimmed from them. A dormant tree will also not attempt to grow a new shoot from a trimming wound site. It will be more likely to harden that wound site, and seal it off from growth or damage when it wakes in the Spring.

Winter in North Dakota also means that it is usually too cold for insects and disease to infiltrate your trees at the wound sites created from trimming. If a wound is created from trimming in the spring or summer when it stays warm out, it is likely to attract insects and disease. This could lead to damage in the tree, even a total loss of that tree. In the worst of cases, it could promote insects and disease to spread to other nearby otherwise healthy trees.

If you need some guidance on how to trim your trees, see our expert guide here: How to Trim your North Dakota Trees for Bismarck Landscaping 

If you have cut down your entier tree, and need a replacement contact our experts here: 

Tree Rows 4 U 

#3 - Mulch - If you missed this winter preparation step this past Fall, then shame on you. Adding mulch now can still help to protect your tree from the remaining cold months ahead before we thaw in Spring. Be sure to mulch to 3-4" deep and use natural wood mulch as it has the best moisture retention and insulation. Natural wood mulch will also decompose and turn into fertile soil for your tree over time. Hardwood chips or shavings should not be used as they can invite rot and mold. most evergreens and poplar varieties will resist mold, ND native cottonwood makes great wood mulch so long as it is free of insects and disease. Next year, remember to freshen up your mulch before Winter sets in if it is needed.

#2 - Remove Tree Watering Bags - Again, if you missed this step in Fall then shame on you. The primary reason to remove the bags is to avoid encouraging rodents to make their winter homes inside them. When you remove the bags, be sure to check for rodent damage or other rodent signs. Refer back to #5 if you notice any signs. These bags make watering during the growing season very convenient, but they can be a home for unwanted guests in the Winter. Remove the bags, clean them off, and fold them up to set aside with your garden tools and other outdoor items that you will pull out first thing when Spring arrives. These bags take up very little space when neatly folded and should not be a large burden to store in your garden shed or garage over the winter. Don't miss that step of cleaning them off, there may be creepy crawlers inside.

#1 - Plan for Spring Tree Planting Now - Don't wait until Spring to plan. You should be enjoying your yard, not stressing about it. If you plan now, it will ensure that you are able to get the work that you need done early. You are likely to get better pricing by booking landscaping or ordering plants during the off-season when nurseries and landscapers have the most time and the best stock availability. Most landscapers and nurseries are first-come, first-served. This means that if you wait until the time when you need to be planting, you may be waiting in line. Starting now will also allow you time to create a much better plan, make revisions if needed, and have a final plan ready before others are even thinking about their Spring. You can relax, knowing that you have the best experts already set to come take care of your landscape as soon as the season allows. If you have not already started your Spring landscape plans, begin with FREE EXPERT LANDSCAPE TREE PLANS



Thank you for reading, and I hope that you have found this information on the North Dakota Winter Landscape Checklist interesting and helpful.

If you are interested in planting trees in North Dakota this coming Spring, we can help. We are a licensed North Dakota nursery, and a licensed landscape contractor in Bismarck, North Dakota. We have trees available for retail sales, and we also provide tree planting services near Bismarck, North Dakota. All of our selections are trees hardy for North Dakota, and many of them are trees grown in North Dakota. If you are looking for a wind screen tree row, a large North Dakota shade tree, or even just some landscaping trees near Bismarck, we are here to help with all of your North Dakota tree needs.

If you have landscape needs outside of trees, shrubs and other North Dakota landscape plants, we have a large network of Local North Dakota Landscapers who can help you with ALL of your Landscaping in Bismarck, or all across Central and Western Noth Dakota. If you already have a local landscaper that you enjoy working with, ask them for Tree Rows 4 U trees and plants, from local North Dakota Tree and Plant Experts.

To see a few of our services offered: Tree Nursery, Landscape - Tree Rows 4 U - Bismarck, North Dakota 

To see some of the trees we have available: Trees (treerows4u.com) 

To contact us to order trees or to inquire about having us plant trees for you:
Tree Rows 4 U